Mending Life: A Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts

Sonya and Nina Montenegro, sisters and cofounders of the Portland, Ore., art studio the Far Woods, debut with a whimsically illustrated and millennial-friendly guide to mending clothing and household linens. They do a fine job of explaining the techniques required to mend a variety of items, from sweaters and socks to jacket cuffs and pant seats. The Montenegros include information on both “Essential” and “Specialty” supplies for sewing, on distinguishing between different fabrics, and on mastering the Japanese technique of “Sashiko Stitching,” which is shown to great effect in the authors’ charming drawings. The authors suggest approaching mending with a “spirit of play” and incorporating it into daily life—a section entitled “Mending on the Go,” for instance, portrays mending as “sweet, portable work” instead of a buckle-down, desperate task. They also share reasons, tailored to a younger audience, for taking it up—as an environmentally responsible practice, a way of meeting people pursuing the same hobby, and a hobby that’s easy on the wallet. If there is any book capable of convincing millennials to pick up a darning needle rather than a smartphone, it will be this alluring primer. Agent: Kate Woodrow, Present Perfect Dept. (Mar.)

Correction: An earlier version of this review incorrectly referred to the authors as twins.